Winning Is Not Always The Easy Way
by Stark'sGirl
Summary: *MAJOR CHARACTER DEATH* Set two years after the Avengers. The Chitauri are once again attacking the Earth but this time the battle is harder than before and two of our favorites Avengers lose someone important for them. Pepperony and Brutasha. Please R&R.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anyone from this story. So, yeah, this is only for fun and if you read it then you know that too.

**Pairings: **Bruce/Natasha; Tony/Pepper

**A/N: *WARNING MAJOR CHARACTER DEATH***

This idea came out after I saw a few gifs on Tumblr only that they were about Natasha who died on a mission and Bruce being sad about it. I decided to change that a little. If you are the one who made that gifs set then I have to say that you're amazing! And also thank you for the inspiration.

**A/N2: **This is set two years after Avengers.

Darkness. It was all that was left after yet another destroying battle. The darkness of the red blood that pooled on the streets from New York, mixed with the pieces of metal and rain. The darkness that covered the now destroyed Big Apple into the dark memories of the earlier events.

Another invasion. It was worse than the first one. They thought that Loki was the one that gave them power but they were wrong. They were powerful enough to come back themselfes. They were powerful enough to nearly destroy their planet and then leave it back as if it was a broken toy. Only that their technology, plans and powers weren't enough. The Avengers did win and saved the world again, but not without sacrifices.

"Where is she?" The thick, panicked voice of Tony Stark echoed through the destroyed rooms of his Tower. He didn't cared that he had to build this Tower back from the smallest detail again. Money weren't a problem for him, they never were. "Where is she?!" This time he sounded way more despearate, his dark eyes widdening with fear and panick.

"Tony," Barton grabbed the brunette's arms in a tight grip as he tried to hold him back from entering the room. "Tony, calm down." He felt sympathy for the man that he held away despite the fact that he never lost someone he loved. Or at least that was what he thought.

"Don't tell me to calm down, Barton," Stark snapped through clenched teeths as he squrimed and struggled to escape the other man's grip even if he knew he couldn't. Damn the archer for being stronger than him. Damn the aliens for invading the Earth. Damn Loki for bringing them to Earth years ago. Damn everyone.

"Tony," Another voice came from the room that was in front of him. The genius eyes widened again and he felt that they could pop out from their place anytime. He felt his heart tighten in his chest even if he knew that was impossible. "I'm sorry." Those last words made the billionaire's heart stop momentarily and he could feel his legs failing him. Luckily, Barton never losened his grip on his arms and held him up against what was the ruin of a wall.

Stark's large and brown eyes fixed themselfes on the door of the room he recognized as being the office of Pepper Potts. Or what was left of it anyways. He could see the glass desk shattered around the former white floor and the holes in the large windows but that wasn't what truly mattered. The thing that made his heart ache was the sight of blood pooling around a mess of strawberry blonde hair.

_A few hours before_

Tony Stark almost ran inside the Stark Tower penthouse as soon as the elevator doors opened. Another alien invasion was threatening the Earth and of course, the Avengers were on call. This time with Tony being the first one called and informed about it for the simple reason that the team decided for him to be the team captain after he risked his life to save all those humans. He was definitely a hero after that, not that he considered himself like that. He knew that he wasn't the hero type.

"Pepper?" Tony called out as he threw his Acura car keys on the glass coffee table of the penthouse.

"Over here!" The voice of the one and only Pepper Potts came from the room he knew was her office. Without any other sound, Tony made a quick run to her office, his breathing more ragged than usual.

"Tony, what's wrong?" Pepper asked once she was the worried face of her fiancé in the door way. Her brows furrowed in a full of concern frown as her bright blue eyes rose to meet Tony's dark brown ones.

Tony closed his eyes for a moment, a gesture he used to do each time he felt like he had to tell her something important and didn't knew how. That made the redheaded woman worry even more for him. She parted her lips to speak once again but was intrerupted by the billionaire's sudden intake of breath.

"Remember what I told you when I was on call last night?" He asked directly, knowing that there was no way in which he could make the news he had sound better. At her short nod, Tony decided that he should get straight to the point.

"Well, the situation is _way _more serious than we suppossed it'll be. The situation is repeating, Pepper. A portal was opened a few miles outside New York and the first aliens began to make an appearence. Thor and Barton are there already and they're saying that this is way more difficult than the last time." He explained and kept his eyes fixed on her face as he spoke each word.

He watched her face twist with shock and a hint of fear as well. The sight of her perfect features twisting with fear made the billionaire's heart break ever so slightly as a sigh escaped his lips. He knew what she was thinking. He learnt to read her eyes durring the years and this time it was no exception.

Not knowing what to say, Pepper stood up from her seat silently and crossed the room in a few long strides. Her delicate hands reached up to cradle Tony's face between them as her eyes fixed themselfes on his. No, she wasn't going to cry now even if she wanted to. She had to be strong for him. He was a warrior now and he needed all the support that was possible.

"Just don't die," she whispered quietly before she pressed her lips against his in a gentle kiss. She could feel Tony's smile against her lips because as always, he understood better than anyone else the meaning of those three words. He recognized them as their own strange love declarations.

"I won't. I always find a way out from everything." He stated with a smile on his lips that didn't quite reach his eyes. "I'll have Romanoff stay with you the whole time." He added as he leant in to peck her lips quickly once again before he turned around to leave.

"Oh, and Pepper?" Tony called over his shoulder as he rested a hand on the door frame. "Keep your phone next to you this time." Without any other word, the billionaire made his way out of the office and toward his workshop to get ready and face the unknown.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Okay, so this chapter will be angsty. **

**Huge thanks to all those who favorited/followed this story. You guys are great!**

**Sorry for all the grammar/spelling mistakes that you might find. I'm not a native English but I'm giving my best into this. Ya know, using all my knowledge for this stories. **

Tony couldn't tell how long he had been sitting in that corner. It could have been hours, days or even years and he wouldn't know that. Not that he cared about the time but he knew that if he sat there for too long then someone from the team would come and shake him. Not that he cared about that either. He was dead. Yes, he died the second he heard Bruce say those awful two words that shattered his world.

He could see a shadow on the nearby wall and he guessed it was Clint watching him as if he feared that the billionaire would do something stupid. Tony would have laughed at the irony of the situation if he didn't felt too numb. How that no one from the team knew that he was already dead? That the nature had taken away from him the only thing that he couldn't live without? What did they feared, that he might take a piece of glass and cut his veins? No, he was too coward to do that.

His eyes darted back to the room that was in front of him. The room that in the morning was _her _office. The room that she loved most from the whole Tower and the room that took away her life. Maybe if she would have listened to him and left the town. Maybe if she would have gone in Washington just as she did the last time. Maybe she'd be alive now. But there was no maybes, there was no way he could give the time back. There was only the present and it hurt, a lot more than he ever imagined.

Bruce told him that she died fighting. Of course, that didn't surprise Tony. He knew that she wouldn't give up without a decent fight even if her fighting skills were even worst than his and he was awful at hand to hand combat. She died after she was stabbed in the stomach by one of those aliens. Bruce didn't said that but his mere knowledge about medicine figured that her dead was painful.

He could only imagine her laying on the cold floor of her office, surrounded by piece from the shattered windows and aliens. Apparently there were two aliens that attacked her while she was trying to save the informations she had stocked in the Tower's system and sent them to Malibu. It was strange to know that she died while saving files for his company. _Always the professional, _he thought and a unamused smile formed on his lips at the idea.

He could imagine one of those sharp scepters of the aliens cut into her flesh. Destroy her beige skirt and white shirt in the process before making contact with her pale skin then the scepter tearing it apart as it entered her flesh. He could mentally see the terrified look on her face. Her ocean blue eyes wide with fear and her lips parted in a silent scream because he knew that she wouldn't actually scream in front of the enemy. She learnt that showing fear in front of the enemy was never a good thing. She learnt it from the numerous moments she had been in danger.

He could picture her pale hands clutching her stomach as soon as the alien took out his scepter from her flesh. He could see how the blood pooled between her fingers, warm and terrifing. He could see her engagement ring get covered into her blood as she slowly fell to her knees. He could imagine the aliens going in search for another victim and leaving her on the floor. He could imagine her curling into a ball as she always did when she was upset or had the slightest pain, clutching her stomach as the blood slowly slipped between her fingers and onto the floor.

Bruce also said that they found her phone next to her. It was the StarkPhone he gave her as gift for her birthday. Only a few months before the attack when they were in Washington to visit her parents. Of course, what Bruce didn't mention was that he saw a text she wrote for Tony in the waves of pain. He couldn't do that to Tony, that'd break him even more. He couldn't tell him that Pepper had a surprise planned for him as well but she left it for after the attack ended. He found that one in a file that was in her drawer when he searched for the first aid kit.

Tony stood up from the corner and found out that his legs could still carry him. That was a good thing. He completely ignored Clint's worried look as he dragged himself out of the tiny room and into the room that was supposed to be the main room. Or the living area as he used to call it. And then he saw her.

Apparently Bruce carried her lifeless body to the couch and found one cream colored sheet somewhere to cover her body with. He could only see a drop of blood on the sheet that reminded him that she wasn't just curled up under it, waiting for him to come home. No, she was gone. Forever. She'd never wait for him again to come from a mission. She'd never cry for him anymore because she was gone.

He slowly touched the sheet and gathered the courage he needed to pull it off her face as he knelt beside the couch. Once he did it, he almost broke down into tears as he saw her face. She looked as if she was sleeping only that she was sleeping forever this time. Her lips were dry and there was a small cut at her lower lip, something that would heal if she would have survived. There were a few cuts on her forehead as well and a deeper one at her temple with some dried blood on it. Probably she fell and hit her head against her glass desk but that didn't kill her.

His eyes wandered down her body until they reached the large circle of blood. Of course, the blood was dry now but he could only imagine the white fabric turning up red with the blood that pooled around the wound. The idea made his eyes water and he immediately covered the wound with the sheet once again before focusing on her face.

She was still beautiful for him. Even if her skin was white now and the freckles on her face were even more visible. She was still beautiful for him. Even if her strawberry blonde hair was messed up, despite Bruce tries to adjust it. She was still beautiful for him. Even if she was dead.

"Oh Pepper," Tony whispered, his voice hoarser than usual. "It is all my fault. I shouldn't have left you alone. I'm so sorry." By the time he finished the sentence, he was sobbing. He was sobbing more than he ever did in his life. The tears were falling freely down his face and on her pale cheeks as he leant in and placed one last kiss on her cold lips.

"I promise that I'll revenge you. I promise that I will find the bastard that led the invasion and make him pay." he added and gathered his power to can stand up from the floor. He took in a deep breath and covered her face with the sheet once again but not before he placed one last kiss on her forehead, not aware that Clint was watching him with tears in his eyes.

The billionaire closed his eyes for a moment but immediately opened them as he felt a hand being laid on his shoulder. He didn't need to turn around and look at the person that did that. He could easily recognize who it was from the smell of gun powder and metal he had on him. Tony sighed then turned around to face the world's best markman.

"Tony," it was strange for Clint to call him by his first name but yet he did it anyway. "I don't know what to say. Heck, condoleances are only craps. But I do know what to ask you. Will you be alright?"

Tony just shook his head lightly and held back the tears that welled up in his eyes. "I don't know, Clint. It's too soon for you to ask me that yet." he replied before he turned his back to the archer and simply left the room to be alone, with his feelings and grief. To be alone so he could curl up into a corner and cry himself to sleep.

**Anyone knows what surprise Pepper had prepared for Tony but never got to give it to him? **

**Please, don't forget to review. Even if it's only a sentence, it means a lot for me. Constructive reviews are more than welcome too!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: My thank you's to those who reviewed/followed/favourite this story, that means a lot for me, guys!**

Tony Stark stood in front of his wall length mirror, his hands falling limply by his sides as he smoothed them down his suit jacket for what was the fifteenth time in a matter of minutes. He wanted it to be perfect, he wanted himself to look impeccable because he knew that was how Pepper would have wanted him to look. He knew that if she was watching him from wherever she was, she'd want him to look as a winner even if inside he felt as anything but a winner. He gave a sigh and held up his head, the cold expression taking over his face once again as he stepped out of their, or rather, his bedroom.

He saw the Avengers lined up with their backs to the newly repaired wall of windows, all of them, even Thor, dressed in black. He could see the pained look on Bruce's face and the guilt that was shadowing his eyes. The only thing Tony wanted to do at the moment was to shout at him and tell him that it wasn't his fault that Pepper died, to tell him that it was already too late when he got there as himself. That everything was too late, but the words seemed to die in his throat. He saw Bruce's eyes peer up to him and his head moving a little to what seemed as a nod.

Beside him, was the one and only, Natasha Romanoff. Her usually cold and emotionless face was long gone and he could see the sadness in her eyes. During the years he worked with the team and SHIELD, Pepper and Natasha grew quite fond of each other, and by fond that meant they were together most of the time. He saw her open her mouth to speak, probably to give him her condolences but he saw Clint nudging her side then simply shake his head. Probably he understood Tony's pain and knew that condolences won't bring his Pepper back.

Thor was the only one that moved out from the row, he didn't had Mjölnir in his hand as he used to and Tony supposed that he had left it somewhere in the Tower. Or that he lost it somewhere in the battle, not that Tony cared about it. He felt the God's rough and heavy hand place itself on his shoulder and he released a sigh, patting his friend's arm with a hand.

"Mr. Stark," The captain was the first to speak and the second to step out from the row. Tony couldn't help but notice the dark coloured military jacket the blonde wore. It seemed that Pepper's death affected everyone on the team, or rather, his grief affected everyone in the team. That made a positive thought form in the engineer's brain. He wasn't alone after all, he still had his adoptive and weird family with him.

"Captain," Tony acknowledge with a curt nod as he made his way past the blonde and toward his other team-mates. He opened his mouth to speak when he heard a loud hit, as if someone stormed inside the Tower with such a ferocity that the whole building shook. Tony was the first to turn his head in the door direction, only to be faced by an extremely confused, panicked and worried James Rhodes and a just as confuse Happy trailing behind him.

"Tones, tell me that none of that is true." Rhodes demanded, jabbing his finger toward the windows of the Tower. That made Tony close his eyes and purse his lips together as he thought of how he could put it right for his friend. How could he tell it in a right way that their common best friend, and girlfriend in Tony's case, was dead?

"Rhodey," Tony managed to choke out and his voice tone was enough for Rhodes' eyes to widen until the whole team thought that they were going to get out from their place. "I can't lie to you." Tony added and placed a hand under his chin as he blinked away the tears that threatened to fall once again.

"That means...Pepper is dead?" Happy was the one who spoke this time and his answer was a group nod from the team.

Tony felt the world crash over his shoulders once again, and as if Rhodes was reading his mind, he felt his friend's arm wrap around his shoulders soon enough to hide the way they fell. Rhodes glanced down at his shorter friend who nodded too, as if he confirmed what the team stated with a mere nod. He could feel a sharp pain in his chest but he knew that he had to be strong for his best friend. No one, aside from Pepper, knew Tony more than he did.

Tony stood in that awkward position for a few moments, Rhodes' arm draped around his shoulders firmly and his head low, his almond eyes staring at the floor. As soon he felt his feelings get under control, he tapped Rhodes' arm in a friendly manner and turned to face the team. The looks on their faces was unbearable and if it was a better situation, he would have shouted at them to stop staring but he couldn't do that, not when he needed all the support in this world.

"Come on, guys," He stopped to clear his throat and clasp his hands together. "let's get that done."

The limousine stopped in front of one of the largest, and still intact, conference building from New York. The same building he came to when he was rescued from Afghanistan or when he announced that he was Iron Man. What a mistake he did back then. Maybe if no one knew who Iron Man was then Pepper wouldn't be dead right now. Or she would, because from what he knew, those aliens didn't had TV channels on their planet.

The whole team got out from the team with Tony following short behind. He could hear, somewhere in the distance, voices of his fans, screaming his name among other words. He simply flashed a peace sign then lowered his gaze to the ground as the flashes of the journalists cameras went straight in front of his eyes. He could hear, and feel, Thor and Clint move at both of his sides at the sight of him lowering his gaze. His team, his family, was there, always up to protect him.

He sighed with relief when he stepped inside the cool room where the press conference was held. He could see a huge, long, table in front of the many seats that were occupied by numerous journalists and photographers. Cameras were pointing everywhere, and he could feel the discomfort of his friends at the sight of them. It was another thing that made him feel safe, it was that they came to a press conference, revealing their identities to the public only to be by his side.

He could see the chairs that were behind the table, six, just enough for them. He noticed that Clint choose to sit the first, and from experience, Tony knew that he was doing it to can watch everyone that was around the room and be ready to attack in case it was needed. Right beside him, was Natasha, her face cold and unreadable just as it was the first time he met her. He couldn't help but notice that Bruce sat next to her too, just as he stood in line at the Tower. The other thing that made him look at Bruce was that the man looked a bit too green for Tony's liking. The engineer hoped that he won't Hulk out right there.

Tony choose to sit next to Bruce, in the middle of the table, with Thor following suit and occupying the seat that was beside him only to leave the Captain to sit at the other end of the table. He reached with a finger to tap the microphone that was in front of him, leaning on his elbows before clearing his throat slightly enough to gain attention from the mass of journalists but Natasha got the word first.

"I assure you that this press conference won't take too long of your precious time, but, Mr. Stark there needs some attention." The whole room froze at the assassin's words and glare. "Thank you." She nodded in Tony's direction and leant back in her seat.

"We are here today, to announce the loss of yet another great person, along the other victims of the war," Tony began and he felt Bruce's hand squeeze his arm under the table. "You have known her as the personal assistant of the Stark Industries CEO and later, as a CEO herself. I've known her as Pepper Potts, the woman and not the assistant. This is why I'm here today, is to announce that," He paused again and drew in a deep breath. "Pepper Potts died last week, during the attacks over Manhattan."

As soon the words escaped his lips, the whole room jumped to their feet. The cameras were blinding him with their flashes and he could see that it did the same to the others as well. He caught sight of Clint leaning over the table and grabbing his microphone with a huff. Apparently those journalists were just annoying for the archer as they were for him.

"And now, if you _will _excuse us." Clint said sharply, standing up and going straight to Tony's side. He whispered something in the engineer's ear then placed a hand on his arm as Tony stood up from his chair.

"The real heroes are among us. Phil Coulson and Pepper Potts were two of them. Rest in peace." Tony mumbled in his microphone then removed the ear piece from his ear and placed it on the table as he felt Thor and Clint escort him outside and straight inside the car. Once he was alone in the car, the engineer gave a short sigh, not knowing that the worst part was just going to begin.


End file.
